To Win A Weasley
by lumoslit
Summary: Hermione wants to win Ron back from Lavender, and Harry has finally noticed Ginny. With the Slughorn Christmas party approaching, Harry and Hermione decide to go as a 'couple' to try and make Ron and Ginny jealous. Will their plan succeed, or will their fake relationship become something more?
1. Chapter 1 - Butterbeer and Broken Hearts

**I don't actually ship Harry/Hermione but this story occured to me when I was writing Tea for Two, and I liked it. So why not? Hope you enjoy it :) Reviews would be greatly appreciated. **

**Disclaimer:** The world and characters of Harry Potter belong to JK Rowling, alas I own only the plot of this story.

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**Chapter 1 - Butterbeer and Broken Hearts**

Harry and Hermione sat side by side in The Three Broomsticks, wordlessly drinking Butterbeer. Each was lost in their own bitter, lonely thoughts. The Butterbeer was warming on a cold wintery day like this, but neither was getting any enjoyment out of it. They were both probably wondering why they'd even bothered leaving the castle. After all, they were in sixth year now, Hogsmeade had lost some of its charm. Their silence was broken as Harry swore. Hermione blinked out of her dazed thoughts, looking at Harry in confusion. Then she looked ahead and saw why he was holding his glass so tightly his knuckles had turned white.

Ginny and Dean had entered the bar, and they were making their status as a couple blatantly obvious. Dean's arm was around Ginny's shoulders, and she lent into him, arm around his waist. Both their faces were flushed from the cold, and they were laughing loudly. Dean whispered something in Ginny's ear, and she swatted him away playfully. Hermione elbowed Harry to stop him staring murderously at the pair.

'Harry.' She hissed.

He looked at her, his green eyes sharp with anger.

'Isn't this a great conversation?' Her fake smile caused him to furrow his brow in confusion.

'Hermione, what the-'

'Harry' she whispered sternly 'Ginny is not going to find you attractive if you're moping and scowling at her. Okay?'

A flicker of hurt flashed across his face. But then, he laughed. It sounded horribly strained, but it was a start.

Ginny turned and waved at the pair, before snuggling back into Dean. Harry cursed under his breath.

'So...' Hermione said 'Slughorn's Christmas Party is coming up?'

'Don't bloody well remind me. I'll have to watch Ginny parade about with that idiot for the whole night. Can't keep their bloody hands off each other.'

'Happy Harry, remember?' He responded with a smile every bit as fake as hers. 'Better. Well you shouldn't go alone Harry. No, you need to make an impression.'

'Why bother? Ginny's the only girl I'd want to take. And look how happy she is with Thomas.'

The couple were seated opposite them, and were snogging. Harry actually growled as Dean pulled Ginny onto his lap. Hermione looked away, disapproving of this public display of affection, and feeling angry on Harry's behalf. She knew all too well how he was feeling. She had seen plenty of Ron and Lavender's amorous displays over the past few days. At least now they were cosied up in Madame Puddifoot's and not right before her eyes. She had done quite enough crying for one week. In fact, she had probably cried more in this one week than in the last ten years.

'They have been fighting a lot lately, so you never know. Ginny was very upset last week.'

'They certainly aren't fighting now 'Mione.'

'Look Harry, cut it out okay? You're not the only unhappy one here. Ron had agreed to go to Slughorn's party with me, but obviously that arrangement no longer stands.'

Harry awkwardly placed a hand on Hermione's arm. 'I'm really sorry about Ron. For what it's worth, I think he screwed up big time. And I don't think he likes Lavender very much, he just thinks she's hot and enjoys how she adores him. She's nothing compared to you.'

He patted her arm, and nodded, drinking some Butterbeer to try and hide his embarrassment.

'Thanks Harry. And Ginny liked you for years you know, I don't think she can let that attraction go so easily. I reckon there's hope for the two of you.'

She squeezed his hand. But then she froze, an idea occurring to her. She began to think through her plan, and how Harry would react...it could work. In fact, it was quite brilliant.

'Hermione? This is a bit weird.' Harry waved their still joined hands.

'Right. Sorry.' She dropped his hand. 'I have an idea Harry. Since we can't go to Slughorn's party with who we want, why not go together?'

'We'll both be going Hermione, I wasn't going to ditch you.'

'I know, Harry. I meant, as a couple. Let's make Ginny see what she's missing. And think how Ron will react...' And for the first time since that Quidditch victory party, Harry saw a grin flit across Hermione's face.

'All pretend though?'

'Of course, but they don't need to know that.'

Harry wrapped an arm around Hermione. She stiffened instinctively, before realising Harry had decided to start the show right away. It seemed there was only so much Ginny and Dean he could tolerate. She snuggled in closer, laying her head on her shoulder. She tried to ignore how weird it felt, although the closeness was oddly comforting.

'So Hermione, have you decided what you're going to wear to the party?' His voice was soft, if stilted. But it didn't matter, they just had to look like a couple.

She grinned up at him. 'I have some ideas, but I think I'd like it to be a surprise.'

Harry winked at her. 'I'm sure you'll be beautiful.'

Hermione giggled, despising herself a bit for acting so girly, but remembering it was all for a good cause. She also hoped Harry never winked when he was flirting for real, it was too cheesy.

When she looked across at the table opposite, she saw the lovebirds had separated. Ginny was looking at them like she couldn't believe her eyes. She raised an eyebrow, Hermione simply smiled in response.

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**Thanks for reading, stay tuned to see how this 'relationship' develops!**


	2. Chapter 2 - Plotting and Pondering

**Thank you so much to all the lovely people who followed, favourited or reviewed the first chapter. You have made me a very happy writer :) Hope you enjoy chapter 2!**

**Disclaimer: **I am not JK Rowling. But oh, how I wish I was!

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**Chapter 2 - Plotting and Pondering**

Back in the Girls Dormitory, Hermione thought about how best to work her plan with Harry. She wasn't sure about how fair it was, or if it would work. But then Lavender swanned into the room and engaged in a very loud conversation with Parvati about how wonderful her Won-Won was, including an in-depth analysis of their oh-so-perfect date earlier. Hermione's resolve was instantly strengthened. She was going to look amazing for this party, and she and Harry were going to win back their Weasleys. And if they had to play dirty, so be it.

Hermione sat down on her bed with a parchment and a quill, casting a spell on the page, making it readable only to her. It was quite a handy charm, she used it on her diary too. She dipped her quill in the ink, and began to write. She always found the scratching sound of quill on parchment oddly comforting.

1: The Dress  
Slughorn's party was going to be a fancy affair of course, but her Yule Ball robes would be too much and besides, she needed something different. She needed to make an impact, to get Ron's attention and show everyone that she was more than just a brain. She also needed more female friends. Ginny would normally be her go-to-girl for this sort of thing, but she didn't want her figuring out something wasn't quite right. But then again, maybe she could use the opportunity to drop a hint or two about how wonderful Harry was?

2: Performance  
She and Harry would need to work on their acting skills. He seemed so embarrassed by the whole thing. To an extent this was fine, endearing even, but Ginny was a confident girl and she wanted someone who wasn't afraid to express himself. And there is only so much awkwardness that can be credible. He was meant to actually into Hermione, after all. Also they needed to set some boundaries, decide how far they were willing to push the whole couple thing. Would she allow Harry to kiss her? The thought seemed weird and wrong somehow. She had to laugh at herself. The Chosen One was considered quite the catch these days. He had become rather good looking lately, and girls were just clamouring for his attention. Harry was, of course, completely oblivious to the whole thing. He could be surprisingly dense sometimes.

3: Couple story  
They needed a story of how they got together. A good, solid story - romantic without being soppy. And it had to be believable, but then people did expect slightly crazy things from Harry Potter...Also they needed to decide when to start acting all coupley. They needed to build up to the Christmas party after all.

4: Ron  
Ron wouldn't be at Slughorn's party, but she needed him to see her. She was going to be so stunning that Lavender would learn what it felt like to be the jealous one. And Ron would realise just what he was missing out on when he saw her with his best friend. Obviously one party wouldn't fix everything, but hopefully it would be enough to get the Weasleys' attention.

'Hermione!' Ginny burst into the room. 'You _have_ to tell me what's going on with you and Harry!'

The other girls whipped around, looking surprised. Well, that solved the problem of starting rumours that she and Harry were dating...Parvati and Lavender were the biggest gossips Hermione knew. The whole school would know in no time. She wasn't sure how happy he'd be about that, or how happy she was herself. This was moving faster than she'd planned. The act was going to have to start, and Merlin, it would have to be good.

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Harry lay on his bed, thinking over what had happened that day. He still felt the anger simmering inside him when he thought of Ginny with Dean. He couldn't get the picture of them snogging out of his head. And Ginny had looked so bloody happy with him. Didn't she realise Dean wasn't right for her?

It was so typical that he finally saw how incredible Ginny was when she'd moved on. If only he had noticed her sooner...how had he not seen how she just seemed to be more than anyone else? Her hair was incredible, she was so funny and kind of terrifying, but wonderful too. She seemed so vibrant, and whenever they chatted he felt so alive. He loved making her smile. He...was so pathetic. Ginny had a boyfriend. A boyfriend she seemed to really like. Harry had missed his chance.

He wondered if Hermione's plan would work. It was a bit mad, but they just might pull it off. If anyone could make a good plan, it was Hermione. What had Ron been thinking? After all these years of listening to the two of them fight, watching them come closer and back away, they had nearly got together and then Ron had screwed it all up. Hermione had been seriously hurt, and it worried Harry. Seeing her cry like that was awful, he'd never seen her so upset. He didn't know how to make things right. And yet again he was stuck in the middle.

He had to admit the plan made him nervous too. Dating Hermione just seemed so strange. He'd never even thought of it as a possibility, they were just friends. Would they be able to convince anyone that they were a couple? The scene in The Three Broomsticks had been so awkward and weird. They just weren't comfortable being with each other like that. And that had only been putting his arm around her. How were they meant to flirt? Or kiss? But he wanted Ginny. He knew he could do this. It wasn't like facing Voldemort or anything.

Dean came into the dorm, and Harry had to stop himself scowling. However, when he saw Dean's face it was a smile he was forcing back. The other boy looked furious. Maybe Ginny had dumped the smug git. And maybe she'd need comforting, maybe she'd remember how much she used to like Harry...

'Trouble in paradise?' Seamus asked, echoing Harry's hopeful thoughts.

'No, not at all mate. Myself and Ginny had a lovely time.'

Harry wanted to hex that smirk right off Dean's stupid face. What did Ginny even see in him?

'Have to write this bloody Transfiguration essay for McGonagall.' Dean groaned, getting his books and quills together.

'Me too.' Harry grimaced at the thought of writing a roll of parchment on conjuring spells.

Dean raised an eyebrow. 'Why not just ask your new girlfriend for a hand with that Harry?'

Harry gaped at Dean. This had not been part of the plan.

He was going to kill Hermione.

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**Thanks especially to Laura Scofield and halffictionalprincess for their reviews on the last chapter :)**

**I'm aware this chapter was a bit of a filler, just getting the plan together really. Hope you will stick with the story to see how Harry and Hermione get on. Thanks for reading, and please review, would love some feedback on this story.**


	3. Chapter 3 - Shouting and Secrets

**Hello hello! Apologies for the delay in updating this. College has been crazy! The next chapter will definitely be up sooner. A big thank you to everyone reading this story, hope you enjoy this chapter :)**

**Disclaimer: I still am not JK Rowling... :(**

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**Chapter 3: Shouting and Secrets**

Hermione turned when she felt a tap on her shoulder. She looked around in confusion. There was no one there.

'Meet me outside the castle in 15 minutes.'

Judging by Harry's terse whisper, the rumours of the relationship had reached him already. She was not looking forward to this conversation. Reluctantly Hermione rolled up her essay, and went to fetch her cloak and a scarf. It would be chilly outside, and she had a feeling Harry wouldn't be easily calmed down.

Outside, her breath coming in icy puffs, Hermione looked around for Harry. Why couldn't they have had this conversation inside? Everyone thought they were dating anyway. When Harry appeared, his face red with anger, she was suddenly glad other students weren't around.

'What the hell Hermione?'

'Harry, I can – '

'No!' He flung his arms in the air. Hermione realised she would just have to let him rant. Sometimes, Harry really did have a flair for drama. 'Don't say you can explain because you bloody well can't! Dean and Seamus think we're dating! This was not part of the plan. You can't just go spreading rumours without checking with me first. Everyone gawks at me enough already! And how the hell do you think Ron will react? This is all wrong, and it's not fair! I don't know how to be your boyfriend! I don't know how to be anyone's boyfriend, I bloody well made Cho cry when I kissed her! And you've been kissing that git Krum! He's bloody famous!'

It was really quite impressive how he didn't seem to need to stop for breath, Hermione thought, as Harry paced back and forth, still yelling and jabbing an accusatory finger at her.

'And you just tell everyone we're a thing, without thinking at all! How are we meant to do this? You're meant to be the clever one, this was a completely stupid move Hermione. Even Ron wouldn't do this!'

He heaved a huge sigh, and looked at her expectantly. She took a moment to compose herself. He had done a lot of yelling, and frankly some of what he had said had hurt. She wished he would let her explain before hurling all this anger at her, but it was his nature. He hadn't quite gotten over his angsty phase.

'Harry, please just hear me out. I didn't start these rumours. I don't want this either.'

'Well then who did? I didn't tell anyone about us, and you're the only other one who knows. So don't pretend you're not to blame!'

'I'm not. You are.'

Harry's face turned a deep red, a shade that even rivalled Ron's fury.

'You' Hermione continued, her voice calm in spite of her emotions 'are the one who felt the need to put on that little show for Ginny and Dean. Ginny is the one who mentioned us, Parvati and Lavander overheard her. You know how they are, I wouldn't be surprised if the whole school had heard about us by now.'

Her arms were crossed, and she was glaring at Harry. If he would only stop and think for once, he would have saved them both a lot of unnecessary stress. Harry let out a string of expletives, causing Hermione to raise her eyebrows. She hoped he was planning on apologising when he had finished cursing. A few minutes later, he turned back to her looking a bit sheepish.

'I may have gone a bit overboard Hermione.'

She nodded, but appreciated the apology of sorts.

He looked around in confusion, as if only noticing where he was. 'It's bloody cold out here, isn't it?'

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Harry led Hermione into the kitchens, holding up a hand to stop her when she started another SPEW rant. They did not have time for that. The kitchens were so much warmer than outside, and private too. Also, he was no Ron, but he always appreciated a place that had a plentiful supply of food.

With a warming cup of tea in his hands, Harry stopped shivering. Things were a bit more relaxed with Hermione, if kind of awkward. They sipped tea and ate their pumpkin pasties in silence. He felt bad for yelling at her like that. He shouldn't have gotten so angry, but this whole situation was so strange. He really didn't know what was going on with them now.

'You said some interesting things earlier, Harry.'

He flushed red at the thought of his rant. He had said many things he wanted to take back now, but once you had yelled something at a person it was hard to make them forget it. Obliviating her really wasn't an option, he would never get away with it.

'About Cho,' Hermione continued, and he winced. He hadn't wanted Hermione to know how insecure he felt about that relationship. How he knew that, in Cho's eyes, he was just a very second rate Cedric. He had been an awful boyfriend. 'how many times do I have to tell you it wasn't your fault she was crying? She had been through a lot, she really wasn't ready for another relationship. I'm sure your kissing was just fine.'

He went even redder. But he wasn't determined not to be the only embarrassed one. 'How was Krum's kissing?'

This time she blushed, but she smiled too. 'Oh it was...just fine.'

'Really?'

'Oh stop worrying about that Harry. Yes, he's a big Quidditch star but you're not exactly a nobody yourself Mister Chosen One. You have no need to be insecure. Krum's not a git, I have no idea why Ron says that now. Honestly, at the time it's surprising he didn't snog Viktor before I did.'

'You seriously don't know why he hates Krum now? Honestly Hermione, I thought you were smart.' She made a face at him. 'You're the reason he doesn't like Krum now. Ron's a bit thick sometimes, he only found out he liked you when you were with Krum. And if another guy is with the girl you like you have to hate him, even if he used to be your hero.'

Hermione looked unsure about this, but returned to the plan. Harry was glad, it seemed to be a safer topic than kissing. The thought of kissing Hermione was too confusing and strange to deal with now.

'The school knows something is going on between us, sooner than we'd hoped, but we can work with that. I reckon we pretend nothing is happening for now. We'll be spending a lot of time together anyway with Ron being so very busy, and we can start flirting now and then. Sneaking glances, that kind of thing. Have something starting slowly, get Ron and Ginny's suspicions up.'

'If we can get them to notice us at all.'

Hermione frowned. 'Has Ron said anything to you about us? Lavender has to have mentioned it.'

Harry shook his head. Ron's reaction was something he was not looking forward to.

Hermione nodded, chewing her lip. 'Well, deny it if he asks. But at least he'll be aware of the possibility. We can work on that.'

He knew Hermione would have the whole thing planned out perfectly. This unexpected turn of events must have annoyed her as much as it had angered him. He felt worst about his outburst now.

'I am sorry about earlier, are we okay now?'

She smiled at him 'More than okay, we're falling for each other. Haven't you heard?'

They were both laughing, for the first time in a long while, so loudly that they startled the house elves.

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**The drama! Extra special thanks to Laura Scofield and halffictionalprincess for their reviews on the last chapter. I really appreciate the feedback, so please leave me a review if you can! I will be back with more of TWAW soon. Thanks for reading :)**


	4. Chapter 4 - Rumours and Romilda

**Hello again! Sorry it's been a while, my life has been taken over by essays! Thanks to all the lovely people who have followed the story :) It means so much to me that people are reading it and enjoying it. Hope you like this chapter :)**

**Disclaimer: I am not JK Rowling in disguise. I wish I was!**

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**Chapter 4 - Rumours and Romilda**

'Her? You can't be serious?

'Maybe that scar isn't all that's wrong with his head.'  
Hermione held her head high as she walked past yet another group of giggling girls. She refused to let them see she was hurt. It had been like this all day. Whispers about how she wasn't good enough for Harry, about how ugly she was and how boring. Apparently she was no match for the Chosen One. Never mind that she had stood by him last year, when many of these same girls thought he was stark mad. Now she understood why he hated being stared at so much. It was horrible. She'd even seen some girls crying about Harry being 'taken' now. Yes, he had become rather attractive this year, but these girls barely knew him. It was ridiculous.  
She tried to just block out the whispers, but sometimes she couldn't stop herself from talking back. And the temptation to hex some of the nastier taunters was getting stronger and stronger.  
'Like you'd have her as a friend, because she's so smart and good help you with your homework. But going out with her?'  
Enough was enough. She couldn't take much more of this.  
'Excuse me?' Hermione's voice shook but at least it was loud.  
The boy turned a deep red, and gulped out an apology. She had quite a ferocious glare. Sighing she walked on, almost regretting coming up with this crazy plan in the first place. Who knew it would cause such a commotion? And the one person whose thoughts on the matter she actually cared about seemed to be oblivious. Maybe he just didn't care.

She slipped into the girls bathroom on the second floor, hoping to get some peace. The floor was wet. Not a good sign. Still, Myrtle's weeping had to be better than the jibes and the pointing.  
'You!'  
Hermione jumped as Myrtle shrieked. 'You took him away from me!'  
It seemed even the ghosts knew the rumours. Honestly, at this point she wouldn't be surprised if Dumbledore himself offered his opinion.  
'Myrtle, it's not like that. Harry and I are just friends.'  
Myrtle's howling laugh was terrifying.  
'Don't lie to me. I've seen you here with your potions...I know what you're capable of. But it's me Harry wants!'  
Water began shooting from the taps, showering Hermione in cold water.  
'First there was that stupid Weasley first year who threw her diary at my head, then that weepy drip of a girl last year...and now you! Harry clearly wants to be with me, not those girls, and not you!'

Myrtle was wailing now, and flying around Hermione. The water was pouring out of the taps and some pipes had burst. Hermione fled the bathroom before Myrtle drowned her. The screams followed her down the corridor, which was rapidly flooding.

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Harry walked into the library, feeling a number of Ravenclaw guys glaring at him.  
He heard mutterings as he passed. They were, of course, careful not to break Madame Pince's rules about noise in the library, but enough words carried over for him to work out what they were talking about.  
'Cretin.'  
'Her intelligence is wasted on that fool.'  
'What could they possibly have to talk about?'  
Harry kept his head down and found a desk deeper in the library. No wonder he avoided this bloody place! He had no idea people in school would care so much about himself and Hermione. But they had both been followed by whispers and giggles, even hit by the odd covert jinx. But those who had tried to hex Hermione had quickly learnt their mistake. She wasn't called the brightest witch of her age for nothing.

'Hey.'  
Romilda Vane had sat down beside him. Her long legs were crossed and she was leaning towards him, twirling her hair and pouting her red lips. The look of sheer determination in her eyes was frightening.  
'Um, hi.'  
'So I heard about you and Hermione. You could do so much better.' she stroked him arm, and batted her eyelashes.  
'Is there something in your eye?'  
She frowned and stopped fluttering her eyelashes. 'Look Harry, Hermione's a sweet girl but she's not exactly...pretty.'  
Harry had been all ready to deny his 'relationship' with Hermione, but Romilda's words made him angry. He was sick of hearing people put Hermione down. She may not be Ginny, but she was still one of his best friends. Actually once Ron found about this, probably his only best friend. Still, even though he wasn't attracted to Hermione, he did think she was pretty, and absolutely bloody brilliant too. Sometimes it was scary just how brilliant she was.  
'I think Hermione is beautiful.'  
Romilda laughed, and rolled her eyes. 'Did she slip you a love potion or something?'  
'No.' Hermione said from behind Harry. 'That's more your style, Romilda. I think Harry was saving that seat for me.'  
Romilda stormed off. Hermione sat down, her cheeks a bit pink from Harry's words. It shouldn't mean much to her, but it did, especially after a day like this.  
'Hermione, why is your hair wet?'  
She sighed. She had changed robes, but her hair was still dripping wet. 'Myrtle wasn't too happy to hear you have a new girlfriend. Apparently she's the one you really want.'  
Harry groaned, laying his head down on the table. 'Is there literally nothing else for people to talk about in this school?'

Just then Ron came storming into the library, his face a flaming red that rivalled his hair. Harry sat up straight, and exchanged a wary glance with Hermione. Ron stomped towards their table. 'What the bloody hell is - '

But before he got a chance to finish a book was bashing him over the head and Madame Pince was chasing him out of the library for disturbing her precious peace. Hermione dighed loudly. Both she and Harry knew this was not going to be pretty. But a part of her was delighted. She couldn't think Ron didn't care about her 'relationship' with Harry now.

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**Prepare for plenty of drama in Chapter 5! Thanks for reading, reviews would be greatly appreciated :) Thanks to Laura Scofield and Lucliacd for their reviews on Chapter 3, made me smile :) **


	5. Chapter 5 - Fighting and Flirting

**Hello, hello! I'm back. So excited to have a lot of new followers for the story - thank you all so much. Hope you enjoy this chapter!**

**Disclaimer: I am not JK Rowling...alas, only the plot is my own!**

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**Chapter 5 - Fighting and Flirting**

Hermione and Harry exchanged wary looks, then gathered up their things to leave the library. Ron would be waiting outside, and if his entrance to the library had been any indication, he was furious. Hermione felt a knot in her stomach, Ron's reaction was the one she had been waiting for, but now she was terrified. What if he didn't care she was supposedly with Harry? What if he was only angry because they hadn't told him? And what should they say? She wasn't sure whether to deny the relationship or confirm it. Would it make Ron jealous? Could she ever compete with Lavender?

'Hermione... Hermione.'

Dazedly, she looked at Harry, breaking out of her trance.

'Are you okay?'

She felt a surge of affection for Harry. He always noticed when there was something wrong, and always tried to help. He was a good friend. The best, really.

'Yes, I'm just a bit nervous. Terrified if I'm being completely honest.'

Harry put an arm around her, slightly awkwardly, but it was a nice gesture. 'Don't worry about Ron, you know what he's like. He will yell, a lot, but then he'll run out of steam.'

Hermione nodded, but she was still pale. Ron was volatile, and there was no knowing what he would say.

Harry's voice was low and comforting. 'What do you want to tell him?'

Hermione thought it over, and Harry looked at her, his forehead creased with concern. She made up her mind, and nodded at Harry. Standing up straighter, she walked confidently out of the library. She wasn't going to let Ron see her fear. Harry followed her, impressed by her strength. Hermione may have cried her eyes out over Ron not so long ago, but she wouldn't let him know that.

Outside the library, Ron was pacing back and forth, occasionally throwing his arms in the air and cursing. It was rather alarming, and first years scurried past him into the library, careful to avoid his flailing limbs. When he saw Harry and Hermione, his face turned even redder, which hadn't seemed possible.

'What the bloody hell is going on? The whole school is talking about you two snogging in Hogsmeade! When were you going to tell me, eh? I thought I was meant to be your best friend? Even the fucking Slytherins knew before I did! And since when do you like Harry, Hermione?' He turned to Harry 'No offence, mate' then resumed his pacing. They followed him reluctantly down the corridor, wincing as his words echoed. 'That's a bit of a change isn't it? I thought you liked me! But one chance to get with the bloody Boy Who Lived and you forget all about me! Typical...'

'Ron.' Hermione's voice was at its sternest. Harry was glad he wasn't the one being glared at like that. 'We might have told you if it was possible to detach you from your precious Lavender for longer than a breath. Besides which, there is nothing to tell. I haven't snogged Harry, not that you're in any position to lecture about snogging, you hypocrite. Harry was just comforting me because, yes, I did like you. I was hurt because I thought you liked me too, but you clearly prefer Lavender. I haven't forgotten you, but I'm not going to mope about after you either like a fool!'

Hermione turned and marched down the corridor, leaving Ron gaping at her. Harry shrugged at Ron, and ran to catch up with Hermione. She was truly amazing, he hadn't expected that speech at all. Surely Ron had to see she was in the right this time. But their conversation had proved one thing...Ron was most definitely jealous. But was Ginny?

* * *

Harry and Hermione sat together in the Common Room that night, trying to ignore the stares and whispers. It was getting tiresome, Hermione thought. She was sick of all the attention. Harry was more used to it, but still, he was tired of everyone watching their every move, or of hearing ludicrous stories about the Hogsmeade trip.

'Harry, I think we need to up our game. I know how annoying all the attention is, but the ball is getting closer, and we know we have Ron and Ginny's attention. So why not give them something to notice?'

Harry frowned. 'Are you sure we have Ginny's attention though? She seems happy about us.'

Hermione thought quickly. It was true Ginny was excited about the potential relationship between Harry and Hermione, but she had a suspicion the younger girl wasn't quite as free from her former infatuation with Harry as she pretended. And there was no denying that her relationship with Dean was rocky, the two had fought again last night and were barely talking at breakfast. Harry would have noticed this, but she supposed he was hoping Ginny would have reacted more like Ron.

'Harry, you know things aren't great between her and Dean at the moment. She's probably preoccupied with that. She finds her crush on you embarrassing. Everyone knew she liked you, even you did. I'd say it makes it hard for her to admit she still feels that way...no one likes to feel like a fool, and she did for a long time.'

Harry winced, and Hermione guessed her words hadn't been as wise as she'd hoped. 'Not that it was your fault Harry.'

'I just wish I'd noticed her sooner. How did I never realise how incredible she is? I'm such a bloody idiot.'

'Most boys are at some point.'

This got a small smile from him, and he punched her playfully on the arm. She reached over and messed up his already messy hair, and Harry tickled her. She laughed loudly, and they attracted even more attention from their fellow Gryffindors.

'They're flirting!' A first year boy said, louder than he'd intended. Both Harry and Hermione turned bright red, and sat up straight again maintaining a careful distance between them.

'Ah...well, that wasn't a bad start actually.' Hermione said. 'A few more moments like that, and the plan will be coming along nicely.'

'So I get to tickle you more then?'

'Try that again Potter and I'll hex you.'

She was smiling, but in a scary way. Harry had seen Hermione's temper before, and he certainly wouldn't risk it.

'Understood, Granger.'

'So first, we'll need some practice. See you in the Astronomy Tower at nine?' Once he had nodded, Hermione stood up and loudly said she was going to her dormitory to study.

Once she was gone, Harry sunk back into the sofa. Whatever Hermione had planned, he definitely wasn't ready. What in Merlin's name had he got himself into?

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**Thanks for reading! Reviews would be most welcome :) Thanks to YoMamaJokes, jslee102 and Laura Scofield for reviewing Chapter 4. See you soon for Chapter 6 and Hermione's plans for poor Harry :P**


	6. Chapter 6 - Sneaking and Snogging

**Hello dear readers! I am so sorry for the delay in posting this chapter - college and work took over, and it wasn't an easy chapter to write. I hope you like it, and do let me know what you think by leaving a review :) Thanks to all who have followed, favourited or reviewed. It means a lot!**

**Disclaimer: Not JK Rowling, alas!**

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**Chapter 6 - Sneaking and Snogging**

Harry grumbled to himself as he crept down the darkened Hogwarts corridors. Moonlight shone through the windows, and the glinting suits of armour seemed menacing. Concealed under his invisibility cloak, he realised how much of his school life has been spent sneaking around. Why did trouble always seem to follow him?

Hermione's willingness to break the rules showed how serious she was about this plan. But once she had an idea, no amount of rules or obstacles could stop her. Her determination was both impressive and scary. Ron really didn't stand a chance. Harry sunk back into the shadows as Mrs Norris padded down the corridor. Her soft purring stopped, and she looked around suspiciously, but moved on after a long moment. Harry hurried on towards the Astronomy Tower, wondering what the hell Hermione had meant by 'practice.' This plan was becoming much more troublesome than he had ever expected. He climbed the steps of the Astronomy Tower, dread weighing heavy in his stomach.

Hermione spun around as he entered the room. 'You're late.' Her voice was sharp, nerves making her prickly. 'We agreed on a time, Harry. If this whole thing really mattered to you, you would have been here.' Her gestures were snappy, and her voice a bit too high. Harry swallowed the urge to answer back. The last thing they needed right now was an argument.

'I'm sorry, Hermione. I ran into Mrs Norris on my way.' Seeing her look of alarm, he continued 'It's fine, don't worry. I had my cloak.'

Hermione nodded, crossing her arms. She began pacing back and forth. Her nervous energy was palpable, and Harry felt his own anxiety increasing.

'So, er, 'Mione. What did you mean by practice, exactly?'

She stopped pacing. Now she looked not just nervous, but distinctly uncomfortable. She seemed frustrated with herself too, like her feelings were getting in the way of her plan. She took a deep breath, mustering up her courage.

'Well, if we are to convince people we are a couple, our interactions have to seem...natural. We have to get used to being...romantic with each other, and remove some of the awkwardness.'

She didn't look too convinced by this herself.

'I'm still not really sure what you mean by that.'

'Merlin, Harry! Do I have to spell it out for you?' When he didn't respond, she sighed loudly. Patience had never been a strong point of hers. Her cheeks were pink now. 'We're going to work on flirting...and on kissing. So it's not weird if we have to kiss at the party or whatever.'

Her words were rushed. It was exactly as Harry had feared, and he felt his own cheeks flame red too. Kissing Hermione was a weird enough thought, but doing it like this was even stranger. _Ginny_, he reminded himself, _you're doing this for Ginny_. He nodded stiffly.

Hermione stepped towards him, and gently stroked his face. Harry felt his cheeks flame red.

'You don't have to look so afraid, Harry. There are already rumours that I used a love potion on you.'

'Really? Aren't they really hard to brew though?'

Hermione shrugged. 'Not really, I could make one if I wanted to.'

At this stage, it was tempting to just cast a spell on Ron rather than go through all this. But she wanted him to really like her, more than anything, that was what she wanted.

'Right. You really are brilliant, you know.'

She smiled. 'Thanks. Now, look into my eyes.'

Harry had never paid much attention to Hermione's eyes, but looking at them now he saw how warm they were. They weren't just brown, they were flecked with goldy bits. Maybe they were hazel? He wasn't too sure. They were much prettier than he would have expected.

'You have lovely eyes.'

Now Hermione was blushing. She took off his glasses with slightly shaky hands. 'Now what do you see?'

Harry wore his glasses for a reason. Now he couldn't see a bloody thing. 'Well without my glasses, everything is a bit of a blur.'

'Oh. Right. Sorry.' She couldn't help but notice how attractive Harry was without his glasses. His messy hair was kind of...sexy. No wonder he was considered such a heartthrob these days. She shook her head, why was she thinking about him this way? They were friends...and this was really weird.

'Hermione?'

She took a deep breath, and put her hands on his shoulders. Harry's hand cautiously brushed her cheek. _Now or never._ She steeled herself, and kissed him. Harry seemed surprised, but then he gently wrapped his arms around her, and kissed her back. It was awkward, but sweet. After a few moments, she turned the kiss into a hug.

Harry had never thought he would be holding Hermione like this, let alone have been kissing her. It was strange and he felt vulnerable. In some ways, the hug felt stranger than the kiss. He still couldn't see a thing, but he could feel Hermione's bushy hair against his cheek. Hugging her was comforting, and though he hated to admit it, there was a little bit of him that wanted to kiss her again. It was probably just the loneliness though, he didn't fancy her like he fancied Ginny.

'Your glasses!' Hermione stepped back, handing him his glasses. He could now see she looked embarrassed too. This really was excruciating. What in Merlin's name were they to do now? Hermione had mentioned practising flirting, but he hoped she wouldn't bring that up again. He knew how terrible he was at flirting, and a staged situation like this would only make it worse. And he couldn't just say 'good kiss' and run off...or could he? Hermione waved a hand in front of his face, obviously he had zoned out. He blinked, coming back to the weird reality he'd found himself in.

'So I think we'll be fine. What do you think, Harry?'

'Yeah, it's late. We should get back.'

'You go ahead.' The thought of huddling together under that invisibility cloak with Harry after the kiss was just too much. She needed to clear her head. She couldn't believe the lengths she was going to in order to win Ron back. This plan had better work out, she thought as Harry gave a half-hearted wave and left the Astronomy Tower. She let out a long sigh, leaning against the stone wall behind her. This could get very messy.

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**Thanks for reading! Reviews are always appreciated, many thanks to ****Amy, Laura Scofield, Ruinus, YoMamaJokes, Suzululu4moe and the guests who reviewed the last chapter. You are all lovely! ****Chapter 7 is on its way :)**


	7. Chapter 7 - Dating and Dresses

Hello! I'm back! My apologies for neglecting this story, college has been crazy. I've missed Harry and Hermione and I am determined to get the rest of this story posted. Unfortunately Slughorn's Christmas Party will be posted in March and not December...but better late than never. Thank you so so much to all the lovely people following this story, hope you're still here and that you enjoy the rest :)

A/N: Only the plot is mine, everything else is J.K.'s!

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**Chapter 7: Dating and Dresses**

Harry was surprised by how natural the couple act with Hermione had become. It had been awkward at first, but now it seemed completely normal for her to greet him with a kiss on the cheek, or for him to reach for her hand when walking through the halls. It had only been a week since that kiss in the Astronomy Tower, but being affectionate with Hermione now seemed simple. Obviously he didn't get the same swooping sensation in his stomach that he got when Ginny so much as smiled at him, but he couldn't help but enjoy holding Hermione close. It was all an act, of course. They hadn't kissed again, but he found caresses came easily now – kissing her on the forehead before sitting beside her in the library, putting an arm around her in the common room, smiling at her in classes.

They were spending more time together than ever before. Harry was even getting all his essays written on time. After all, being with Hermione meant being in the library. She was a patient teacher, and he was doing better in his classes than ever before. Madame Pince no longer looked shocked to see him in the library, he was becoming a regular visitor. He didn't actually like doing homework, Hermione hadn't influenced him that much. Still he had to admit the library was quite a peaceful place to be. It was a great spot for a nap, but Hermione always prodded him with the end of her quill when he dozed off.

'We have a lot of work to do before you get with Ginny, you'll be distracted then. And the NEWTS are next year Harry, you have to start preparing!'

He was helping her relax more too. He was yet to convince her to try Quidditch, but they had been taking walks around the grounds, bundled up in winter cloaks and carrying one of Hermione's portable fires. Overall, the past few weeks had been the happiest he'd had in a long time. He had always admired Hermione, but now he truly saw how caring and supportive she was. And she could be great fun too, he missed messing around with Ron less and less. Hermione was never going to be one to pull pranks, she regarded rules too highly, but they'd had plenty of laughs together. Soon things would change, and he couldn't wait to start dating Ginny, but he hoped this friendship with Hermione would stay strong. He tried not to think about the party too much, it made him feel strange. Probably just nerves, he reckoned. After all, getting together with Ginny was a big deal. He'd never felt so strongly about another girl. Obviously, it wasn't going to work out smoothly. Dean wasn't going to give up on Ginny easily, and getting Ron from Lavender's clutches seemed even tougher. Ron had stopped talking to him, and whenever he saw Harry and Hermione he got an odd look on his face, like he couldn't quite grasp the concept of them being a couple. He was keeping his anger at Harry under control, but only just. It was hard to imagine everything working out well, but Harry had faith in Hermione's plan.

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Slughorn's Christmas Party was fast approaching, and there was a buzz among those invited and they wondered what the event would be like. The exclusivity of the Slug Club only added to the excitement. Hermione had arranged to meet up with Ginny to shop for dresses on the next Hogsmeade weekend. She had decided it would be a good chance to show Ginny what a wonderful boyfriend Harry made. She had to admit (very quietly, and only to herself) that if she didn't like Ron so much, Harry would be perfect, really. His sweetness was very endearing, and she loved the way they could talk for hours. There was no other person she was so at ease with. There were no arguments, and they weren't all over each other like Ron and Lavender always were. The one upside of her fight with Ron was getting to spend so much extra time with Harry. She was really enjoying getting to know him better. But only as a friend, of course.

'Sooooo...' Ginny said, once they'd left the castle 'how's Harry?' She winked at Hermione, whose cheeks instantly went red. Why did she always blush so easily?

'Oh, he's well. Thank you.'

'Oh come on, Hermione! You have to give me more than that! It must be weird, to be dating him after being friends for so long.'

Hermione hoped there had been some envy in her friend's voice, but it was hard to say. Ginny seemed far too enthusiastic about the whole thing, but maybe she was hiding how she really felt...

'It's nice, I like being with someone I know well and can really talk to. I'm comfortable with him.'

Ginny nodded. 'But is he a good kisser?'

Hermione blushed harder. 'Um, yes. He is.'

Ginny raised an eyebrow. 'More information? You don't know how long I've been wondering about this! Actually, you do. Everyone does. That bloody Valentine's Day poem!'

'His eyes are as green as a fresh pickled toad' Hermione sang. Ginny elbowed her, grumbling 'I was eleven, for Merlin's sake! I wish everyone would just let it go.'

'How are things with Dean?' Hermione knew she wasn't off the hook yet, but at least that distracted Ginny until they got to the shop.

An hour later they emerged with their purchases, and Hermione charmed their shopping bags to fit in their pockets.

'You're absolutely sure my dress will go back to its normal size?'

'Of course.' Hermione huffed. She wasn't called the brightest witch of her age for nothing, after all.

'Harry is going to lose it when he sees you!' Ginny cried, and Hermione had to remind herself that it wasn't Harry's reaction that she cared about.

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Thanks for reading, please review :) The next chapter shall be along shortly! Thanks to Ruinus, SherWatsonLocked, Luvliacd, Suzululu4moe, silent rider7, WelcomeToTheAsylum, Vegasman59, cokeerr and YoMamaJokes for their reviews on chapter 6 - much appreciated. Also welcome to new followers, your support means a lot :)


	8. Chapter 8 - Smirking and Showtime

Hello dear readers! As I lost the notebook I write this story in (old school, I know) there was a very long delay in getting this chapter to you. I hope you're still following the story, and that you enjoy this chapter. I really am delighted that so many people have read, followed and favourited. Please review - I really appreciate the feedback :)

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**Chapter 8: Smirking and Showtime**

So this was it. The night of Slughorn's Christmas party had come at last. Harry squirmed in his dress robes, feeling like they were choking him. All this formality seemed so stupid, he would much rather wear jeans but Slughorn had insisted. Hardly surprising really, a Slughorn party was always going to be pompous. Harry hadn't expected to be this nervous, an all too familiar churning feeling in his stomach. There had been so much plotting about this bloody party, and he was beginning to doubt whether the plan would even work. That, and Ginny didn't seem to be the slightest bit bothered that he was 'dating' Hermione. She almost seemed _pleased_ about the whole thing.

The plan had definitely been more successful with Ron, who had barely spoken to Harry since their argument. He did grumble under his breath a lot when they were in the dorm together though, a string of expletives that would have appalled Mrs Weasley. Most of his anger seemed to revolve around Hermione. ('She bloody well acted like she liked me, and now she's off snogging my best mate.') However, Lavender also seemed to be irritating him. ('If I hear bloody Won Won one more bloody time...') Other topics included Harry, Snape, homework, Quidditch and anything really. Ron had always been a bit of a grumpy git, but this seemed to be a whole new level. The back of his neck constantly burned brick red, and he stomped his way around the castle, shoving unfortunate little first years out of his path and growling at anyone who dared catch his eye.

Harry regarded his reflection critically again, wondering why anyone in their right mind wuld bother wearing dress robes. They were so outdated and uncomfortable. He looked pale, like he was off to face another task in the Triwizard tournament, not going to a party. At this point, he'd rather take the dragon. The high collar was ridiculous, and made him look like a vampire. Even worse, they were the same dress robes he'd worn for the Yule Ball in forth year, and he'd grown quite a bit since then. A few inches of his jeans were visible. He'd worn his dress shoes, even though they were too small. He wouldn't want to face Hermione's wrath if he wore sneakers. He was ready far too early, Hermione wouldn't be sorted for ages. He sat stiffly on the edge of his four poster bed, examining the Marauder's Map. He had been keeping quiet about his suspicions about Draco lately. Why did everyone find it so hard to believe he could be a Deatheater? His family were so deep in the Dark Arts, of course he would be too. Hermione dismissed his theories about Draco, but Harry knew there was something going on. Draco was acting even more oddly than usual, and had been sneaking about the castle like he was being watched. He always looked tense and pale. Harry knew he wasn't mad, Draco was definitely plotting something. And tonight would be the perfect opportunity, with Slughorn's party providing a distraction...

'Oi! Look at Harry!' Dean laughed. 'Hermione's got him whipped, all dolled up for the big party!'

Seamus clutched his sides from laughing. Harry gritted his teeth. Pair of arseholes.

'Ginny hadn't got you whipped then, Dean?'

Dean shrugged, looking smug. Harry wondered how he hadn't noticed before what a smug git Dean really was. Everything he did was just so bloody...smug.

'I told Ginny I wasn't wearing dress robes, end of story. I'm not going anywhere looking like an idiot. No offence, mate.'

Harry grunted in response. He'd been hoping that maybe, just maybe, Dean and Ginny weren't going to the party together. No such luck, they seemed as close as ever. Damn them.

Harry went down to the common room, trying to ignore Dean's snickering behind him. He was insufferable. _Merlin_, Harry thought, _I sound like Hermione_. They had become really close over the last few weeks, and Harry was surprised to realise that he would miss that connection between them. He thought he would have to wait for Hermione, but of course she was there already. She always had been punctual. She looked beautiful, wearing a blue dress in some delicate looking fabric that Harry didn't know the name of, and her hair was in soft curls. They smiled at each other, and Harry hugged her.

'You look great tonight.'

'Thanks Harry.' She smiled and tilted her head towards Ron and Lavender who were sitting on a sofa in the common room, both looking miserable. Ron was red in the face, and couldn't take his eyes off Hermione. Lavender was furious. She kept trying, and failing, to get Ron's attention. The plan was working, and Hermione was delighted. Harry hoped it would work as well on Ginny. The thought of her with Dean was painful, and jolted him out of any sappy feelings he'd been having about Hermione. Ginny was meant to be with him. That was how it should be. Romilda spotted Harry and Hermione holding hands and stomped up the stairs to the girl's dormitory huffily.

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'You should have worn dress robes Dean, Harry looks so handsome.'

Hermione tried not to laugh at Harry's miserable attempt to hide his smile at Ginny's words. He looked like he wanted to punch the air, or jump around the common room, whooping and yelling.

'Bloke looks like he's being strangled!' Dean smirked, and Harry's smile quickly became a scowl. Hermione gave his hand a squeeze. He kissed the top of her head, and she felt herself blush. Just because the others were watching, of course. Nothing more. Ginny wrapped her arm around Dean's waist, pulling him close, looking hard at Harry and Hermione. It really was all rather tense, Hermione thought.

'So! Let's go to the party, shall we?'

Ginny and Dean set off ahead, so closely entwined that Hermione was quite impressed that they could walk at all. Harry's grip on her hand tightened as they walked behind the lovebirds. It got tighter and tighter, becoming very painful.

'Harry!' She hissed. He looked startled, and dropped her hand, babbling apologies and getting more and more flustered. She rolled her eyes. 'Get it together, Harry.' Sighing, Hermione pulled him into an alcove off of the corridor. Ginny and Dean walked on, too caught up in each other to notice the absence of the second couple.

'Harry' Hermione whispered 'You're losing it. We have to make this work, okay?'

Harry was staring at her, the strangest expression on his face.

'Harry? Are you even listening to me?'

He reached up and brushed a curl of hair off her forehead. Hermione's cheeks went red, and she found herself at a loss for words. This was not part of the plan.

'You really do look beautiful tonight, Hermione. I don't know if I said that before...'

'Thank you Harry. That's very nice of you to say. Er, now, back to the plan, right?' Hermione was thrown by the sincerity in his voice, and the odd intensity of the moment. Harry was still gazing at her. She had planned so carefully, everything should have been under control. But they quite clearly weren't. She honestly had no idea what was going on in Harry's head.

'Right. Yeah. That.' Harry seemed to jolt out of the strange trace he had been in. 'Thank you for doing this Hermione, really.' He kissed her forehead softly, and Hermione closed her eyes. It was absurdly comforting.

Harry and Hermione hurried along the corridor, catching up with a smirking Dean and a steely-eyed Ginny. They walked to Slughorn's party in silence, Harry and Hermione hand in hand. More than once, Hermione questioned the sanity of their plan.

Entering Slughorn's office, Hermione couldn't but be impressed. Emerald, crimson and gold fabric hung from the ceiling, giving the room an exotic appearance. A few years ago she would have described it as magical, before almost everything around her was. Music played in the background as the guests chatted and laughed. Hermione frowned at the sight of house elves bearing trays laden with food.

'Harry. This is atrocious. Those poor house elves, can you believe this? Look at them, slaving away as we party. I really should find Professor Slughorn and talk to him about S.P.E.W.' Harry managed to calm her down, but then she noticed the fairies trapped in the large lamp at the centre of the room. Once more, she was incensed. She made a mental note to research the treatment of other magical creatures once this dratted party was out of the way. She needed to get back to the library. Something had to be done, this was just barbaric. 'Hermione, focus!' She turned back to Harry, taking a deep breath and trying to let go of her anger.

'Harry, m'boy!' Slughorn threw an arm around Harry, dragging him off to mingle. Hermione, her hand still in Harry's, was pulled along behind them.

The party had begun.

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More party time soon, plenty of drama ahead! Thanks for reading :)


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